Towards sustainable forest management

Sustainable Forest Management and the Millennium Development Goals

Sustainable forest management is relevant to several of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). In this web location, further information is being developed to provide a deeper understanding of the links between sustainable forestry and sustainable development, using the MDG as a framework.

Background:

In September 2000 147 heads of State and Government, and 189 nations in total, in the United Nations Millennium Declaration [A/RES/55/2] committed themselves to making the right to development a reality for everyone and to freeing the entire human race from want. They acknowledged that progress is based on sustainable economic growth, which must focus on the poor, with human rights at the centre. The objective of the Declaration is to promote "a comprehensive approach and a coordinated strategy, tackling many problems simultaneously across a broad front."

To help track progress, the United Nations Secretariat and the specialized agencies of the UN system, as well as representatives of IMF, the World Bank and OECD defined a set of time-bound and measurable goals and targets for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women [See Road Map towards the Implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration (PDF, 450KB)]. International experts also selected relevant indicators to be used to assess progress over the period from 1990 to 2015, when targets are expected to be met. Each year, the Secretary-General will prepare a report on progress achieved towards implementing the Declaration, based on data on the 48 selected indicators, aggregated at global and regional levels.

MDG monitoring of progress - Working group on environment

Forest area is one indicator under Goal 7 - Ensure environmental sustainability. For this purpose, FAO Forestry has been involved in the working group addressing the indicators and storylines under this goal. Below are minutes from working group meetings: